It feels like such a small detail that saves the drivers seconds
In: Engineering
At the speeds the cars are traveling drag is tremendous. Drag is squared with velocity so as you go faster there is exponentially more force required to overcome drag. Allowing air to pass through the rear wing instead up being forced up (creating downforce) gets rid of that induced drag which is a major thing that is going to stop a car from going faster at high speeds.
At those speeds, there isn’t a lot of force that can be applied to the ground via the wheels because the car is in a high gear and going straight so the downforce won’t help add any speed.
So you can get rid of the downforce to get a big reduction in drag which lets you go faster.
Asked and answered a day ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/s/aVUK9ImW6C
Also, I suspect you’re a bot.
Go on the highway. And stick your hand with all fingers together out the window. Feel the wind pushing against it. That’s drs closed.
Open fingers and turn hand horizontal with the road. That’s drs open.
Mind you this is from full drag to no drag. Obviously F1 Cars don’t use these angles cause they always want shit ton of downforce. Just little less on high speed
Hold your hand out the window of a moving car and hold it flat against the wind. You feel how much the wind is pushing your hand back pretty strong? That’s DRS off. Now hold your hand sideways so that it cuts through the wind. You don’t feel the wind pushing your hand as much now right? That’s drag reduction. Think of DRS as taking your flat hand and making it sideways so it cuts through the wind easier with less drag.
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